American rapper convicted in Sweden

A$AP Rocky escaped jail time on Wednesday after a Swedish court found the American rapper guilty of assault in a street brawl in Stockholm. The court ordered the artist, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, and two other defendants to pay a $1,307 fine. The three also received conditional sentences, freeing them from jail time unless they commit a similar offense again in Sweden.

Who is A$AP Rocky? The 30-year-old rapper is best known for his song “Praise the Lord.” His case drew the attention of several other artists and President Donald Trump, who repeatedly called for his release. Prosecutors told the court that Mayers and his two bodyguards attacked 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari with a bottle in the Swedish capital on June 30. Mayers said Jafari and his friend refused to leave his entourage alone despite several requests, adding they appeared to be under the influence of drugs. The court denied the men’s self-defense plea and insisted they “assaulted the victim by hitting and kicking him.”

Dig deeper: The A$AP Rocky song “Praise the Lord” is definitely not praise music, but artists are increasingly rapping about God, faith, family, and morality. Read WORLD Digital managing editor Lynde Langdon’s coverage in Muse.